Lubrication system for internal-combustion engines



F. JEHLE LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES a f 'fw/,wwawwm Filed April 26, 1925 April 10, 1928.

AEY u causingY `carbonization and yover'-lubricationy Patented Api"n i9, i928.

FERDINAND JEHLE; 0E CLEVELAND nnrenrsoriio, AssieNoE TozrHE 'vvnrriE Moron COMPANY, 0E CLEVELAND, onio, A ConroEnTIoN oEf-oriro.

LUBEICATIQN sYsTEM EOE. iNrEitNAL-CoMBUsiiroN-Q Eiveiiiirfzs.v f

para-tus adaptable for use in the vlubricating systems of automotive engines. Y

The invention of thattype wherein the oil is forced under pressure to the engine bearings, and vvherein7` unless precautions arel taken, such. oil pres? sure mayrise to values whichl Willcause an excessive supply of lubricant to be delivered to those portions of the engine communicat-v ing withthe combustion chamber thereby o f ,the cylindersg-Moreover excessive oil pressure mayresult in the., 'brealring of the gauge provided for the purpose of indicat `ing the oil pressure in the system.

An object of the invention istoaccomplish the regulation of pressure in the lubricatingA systemofan vautomotive engine a'highly etlicient manner.

Another object of the invention isto accomplish the regulation of the oil pressure in the lubricating systems supplyinglubricant to the Working parts of an automotive engine, so'that vWith an acceleration'of eri-1 `gine speed tlieoil pressure may "increase up to a maximum safe` value,`which, When at` tained, is never' exceeded at lany speed of the ,engine v l `i Another object of the invention relates 'to the provision of a suitable mechanism for the Veiiicient control of the lubricant pressure l.Which mechanism Will be'accessible" for ad# justment and `repair Y Another ob'ect of the invention is to pro# vide a mechanism of the'typetotvhich the invention relates, whereby the same maybe adjusted before useto respond Hat different values of lubricant pressure.

vAnother object of the invention'is to pro'- vVide an improved lubricating system jin which the oilv pressure Will belso governed that itA Will-be maintaincd'nearly propor-l tionate'to speed'over the normal engine speed range, reaching maximum pressure at f preferably approximately maximum engine l vide for the by-passing of all fexce'ss oil speed. l,

Another object of the invention is to proabove the maximum pressure from` engine `oil .m ay vary Widely.. ,o Another object o f the invention` is to Vprohas ya particular use in f lubricating systems for automotive engines bearingss even` though theA viscosity'- of thel vide,' in gal unitaryj mechanism, adjusting f ing pressure' andf also to predetermine the amountV v of lubricant permitted ito" by-pass from the I engine speed." f Y Y Other objects' of my .invention and the invention itself'yvill -be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment ofthe inventionlinvvhich de'- scription reference vvillZ 'be vhad to the'accompan'yingy drawings forming apart of this specification" yand'i;illustrating theA vsaid Vem;

'there .is secured. an' oil, p an`l2,` adapted to hold'a supplyof oil for lubricatingof the Wearing parts of thefengine.- "Within thek crankcase and' mountedfin any suitable man-j ner there. is an oil-pump 35 adapted to d'ravv the lubricant through a lconduit @from the oil` pan andi to 'fdi'scharge it through 'a" con# duit',V and branches thereof, vrone offvvhich is shown atG, andothers of which are 'sl'iov'vn v ystem 'at all times independent of at` 7 ai`1d8, to the'variousfbearings of the v,

automotiv'efengine to besupplied With lubri- 'cant'frontit li e'pump. l In a branch of the;

conduit' 6,` or asfshovvn `vvit'h onev of thel branches Q8," thereof', a Lby-pass lconduit 'is provided'whichjcomprises any approach pers tion l0, and `adischarge portion 1l, intervconnected byfa valve mechanism adapted" to variably restrict the Vflovv ofiiuid from "the 'cylinderV 13, screvv threaded at 1 4,` into a s s Y approaclit'o the discharge portionof theby;

cylindricalrecessV 15, ofa Wallof 'the crank easel, and preferably as" illustrated, integral therevvitli'. f fj."

The cond'uit .10, is adaptedto' c'ommunif.` cate with the interior oftherecess 15 through ajvalve comprising as eatflfand a piston .17,A provided vvitha valve -elementwl The valve element 17,` yieldingly"pressedinto engagement with. the seat 16, preferably by afhelical. spring 18,V one end of whichspring seats againsta shoulder 19S, on the Valve element, and theV other end of which seats` against a shoulder 20, on'the outer surface of the cylinde-rl. The gpiston 1'7, is 1nov. ableV against the force oftheV spring 18, by the effect of lubricant pressure lin the conduit 10exerted againstits forward face or valve element-17a, and an outwardly extending.. vpiston rod erstem 21', making l's'lidin Vgagementwith the inner walls Vof'the cylinder 13, guides tliepiston as it is lreciprocated by the differential effects of the spring "18and the fluid pressure exerted .against the valve 17a. Y v Y V Y Y Y e VAelamping nut 22, adapted-to be advanced against'the outer 'face of the crankcase locks the cylinder 18, in position with its ,forward ortionprojected within thelrecess as shown.

y'loosening the Vnut 22, and byvirtue'ofV Y the ,Y screwethreaded v engagement with the wallsof the recess, the cylindermay be ad-V vanced or retracted toincrease or ldecrease Y the lpressure of the spring upon. the. piston.

' The ,'pi'stonrli, `has alongitudinal boreeX- tending throughout 4its length and terminatyingat"itsinner end-Swith a restricted portion inwhich a valve -seat 23 is formed,V dWithin thislongitudinalbore-therel is a needle valve 24, secured atfits outerend'by threaded engagement with the inner wall of the bore, and

"retained in desired `adjustment thejyam nut 25.V The inner end of theneedlcVValVe ,Y the'valveandthe 'adjacentk walls of the valve VAseat 23, may bev regulated to admit a pre.-

determined volume of lubricant to byi-pass the needle valve or restrict the flow there- 'Y through.` ir i e f Through a lateral jwall ofthe piston stem 2l, and forwardly of the .enlarged *portion ,26, 'of vthe needle valveV 24" openings 27, are

provided/to permit 'thev lubricant to flow therethrough and .to pass 4therefrom through theconduit 11, tothe oil'pan 2. Alzey slot 28, andvkey pin 29, are provided at the outer` i end'of 'the valve element V1723-130 prevent. it`

' from rotatingrelative to the'cylinder 13,v and thereby causing the nut 25,7to1become loosened from lockingrengagement with the said valvev element 17%, and modify ythe needle' I valve adjustment.

The inner end .of the; piston17 may have its forward face 17, 'variouslyformed to cgi-operate with the valve seat V16,'and to .be acted upon byltheipressure oflubri'cant, but

it is preferably frustrofconical in form, vas

" shown, .and co-operated with a valvel seat Whose seatingsurface is preferably comple-V mentalY in form, The orifice within the'valve seat,however,'s preferably of such a diameter that the valve element 17a, when seated, will extend within the engaged portion of the valve seatftlius .subjecting a rel- 1 latively small portion of the area of the valve element 17a, to `the `pressure 'of lubricant in the conduit l0.l VVhen, however, the valve is moved tothe Aposition shown in Figure 2, the pressure exerted against the forward face ofthe piston is effective over fall portions of the forward face of theV valve element 17a. The systenn. comprising the apparatus above described, operates as' follows: Assum-l ing that oilrhas been supplied to the oil pan 2,7and that the. engine and oil pumpl, are in operation, loil will be drawn from ythe Vpan and supplied under pressure, to4 the conduits` leading from 'the pump suchV as the conduits 5, 6, and 7 and the passagesrS and l0, Vto the forward face ofthe valve element 17a.

' Now,assuming thatthe pressure of lubri-v cantiis of such a low value as to bein'sufticient to movethe piston against the counter pres sure of the spring l8,the only flow from the conduit "10, to the discharge conduit llwill "be such flow as may be effectedvthrough the openingprovided bythe needlev valve 24, and thefopening'27, the" valve restricting, the flow therethrough commensurate withitsadjustment.l Under this'condrtion,

lubricant will be continuouslyf:by-passed around the lubricant supply conduits of the system, such as the conduits 5, 6 and'8, and'will'be returned to the crank case oil4 pan and Withdrawn therefrom in a contin uous cycle lat the same timethat lubricant is being supplied vto the bearings. As "the speedof the vengine increases, the pump 3, will be more and vmore effective to increase the pressure of lubricant delivered therefrom until'a value of 'lubricant pressurer is ef-V fected which, communicated against the for# Ward face ,ofA the piston I7, will be effecfV tive to. overcome 'the force of the spring 18', and move the valve pistonrearwardly'fromx the valve closing position illustratedin Figure l, ,toV the positionillustratedjinfFigure '2, or" intermediate thereof, depending 'upon f the'famount` offfiuid pressure generated byV the pump.` As'the piston 17moves rearv wardly, it will permit a V'gr-eater flow of lubricant "from, the approach conduit 10,'to

the discharge conduit' ill, and thereby 'bylpass such greater :amountof lubricant fromV the bearingsy andthe Vlubricant system to reduce lthe amount Vof oil supplied tothebear#` ingsvand other'parts ofthe engine and to reducel the amount of lubricant `pressure effective to actuate the gauge39, which indicates the pressure of the'lubricant'in*theV system on the disehargesidfe ofthe pump..

Ordinarily when the pressure lis. increasedv sufficiently to move the valvewpiston 17,thef y Y Y- initial4 movement will bev very vslight and mentpiston 17a leaves its seat,'fdue1to theV will only provide an opening 'through the valve for the venting oflubricant'to the'byf greater area of its face presentedto the eiect of. fluid pressure. As beore stated,

by nrotating the cylinder 13 after loosening' thenut 22, the cylinder may be advanced orlretracted to increase or decrease the pressure. ofthe spring'IS, and such action'will 'be .effective to increase or decrease, respectively, ythe effective lubricant pressure reL quired to overcome the power ofthe spring, Vrio-that as theposition of the cylinder withinv the-recess is adjusted, one may provide forthe `venting' or by-passing of lubricant from the system to reduce its pressure at diii'erent A predeterminedv .values of fluid pressure. "This same effect 'may be accomplished fto some .extent bythe longitudinal adjustment of the needlevalve 24E, as-be'fore described, whereby normallythere' will be by-passed from the systenra certain amount of the lubricant contained under pressure therein.

It is to be noted that .when the valve piston has been moved to an open position that the openingcontrolled by the needle valve will Vbeless eect'ive tobyfp'a'ss lubricant from the system, since its approach portion will be then disposed in the system at a point substantially less in pressure.

By disposing the valve mechanism Within Y a recess in the wall of the crankcas'e, as

illustrated and described, Y the mechanism may be removed asa unit for the purposes of cleaning and repairing but with a minimumV effort on the part of the person undertaking so to do. Also, Van equally advantageous characteristic of the mechanism resides in its unitary construction which permits its removal from the engine for the purpose "of testing and adjusting the spring tension and needle valve setting in an apparatus arranged substantially like that of the engine and provided with instruments for de-V termining they operative eliiciency vof the valve mechanism. Y Having' thus described lmy invention in dilering embodiments, I am aware that the Y samemay bel practiced in embodiments varyves ing widely from those herein illustrated and y described but without departing from the spirit of the invention. j

I claim: Y Y l. vIn a mechanism for regulating the lpressure in the lubricating system ot an automotiveengine,l the combination with an engine ycrank case, of. a source of lubricant under pressure,` a plug screw-threaded into a wall or. the crank case and; comprising a spring pressed check valve movable tov vards open position accordingto the pressure orn lubricanttol bypasslubricant from the source to the vcrankcase, said vplug having aduct for iiuid flow extending from its iirstsaid face-to the said conduit second portion, said duct adapted to by-pass fa portion of the lubricant 'iow,land means adjustable from the exterior vof the `casing for varyingthe resistance to flowy through so* p the said duct, vvsaid means comprising :a rod positioned V.within a longitudinal bore ofthe piston and reciprocable thereinV and guided by the walls thereof, to have aportion pro- `J`ectedwithin arestricted part of the Said duct to vary the'resistancef to flow there# through according to thefdegree ofpro'je'ction of the said portion vwithin-the saidv restricted part, said restricted iportion andsaid bore'being disposed axially ofthe said' 'j l 9D tending outwardly` lthroughtho' 2.'Ylnde1=k to f piston` said` piston comprising a stem` exthe exterior of: thecasing',

f 2. In a mechanism for regulating the- I Y pressuren thelubricating s y'fstem-of anl l' automotive en ine the combination with an '95. 'u `.engine crank case, of afsourceof lubricant under pressure, a plug screw-threaded into i -a wall-oi1 the crank case `and comprising a spring pressed check valve movable to- 100 surey of lubricant to by--pass :lubricant from Wards open position according to-tlaepres-V the source to the crank case, said plug havinga duct for fluid flow extending from V its iirstsaid face to the said conduit second v portion, said duct adapted to by-pass a pore tion'of the lubricant llow, andwmeans .ad-l

justable from the exterior V,ofthe casing .for

varying the resistance Atotlow through thek said duct, said means comprising a rod posi-v tioned within a longitudinalbore of the piston and reciprocable therein and guided by the walls thereof, to have aportionv protion ofthe said portionV within the said restricted` part, said restricted `portion and said Vbore being disposed axially of the `said piston, said piston comprising a .stema extending outwardlyl through the cylinder to yjected Within a restricted part of the said l duct to vary the'resistancevtok flow there- `through according tothe degree of projec-*lli 1an i vthe exterior of the casing, and a .plate adapted V.to fit over theend of the cylinder to prevent the end of the extraneous objects.

8. In a mechanism stem being struck by for regulating the pressure in the lubricating system vof vanv automotive engine, the combination with an `engine crank caseJ- of a source of lubricant' under pressure, a1plug screw-threaded into 'y a wallA or" the cranky caseand comprising a cylinder, awpiston reciprocable therein, said lcrank case Wall having ra lubricant `conduit through a portion thereof andzcomprising aportifon leading from the said source. to a V'face ofthe piston, anda portion leading from the cylinder, said piston being spring.- pres'sed-tovvard a i positiony to restrict` flow' Vof iiuidV under pressure from. the said first portion to the-said second portion of ,the v `lubricant conduit, :andbeing responsive to A the effectV of `lubricant pressurev exerted against its said face to, decreaseV the" restrictive effect exerted. upon suchlubricantvflow,

said ',plugv-havingra duct for fluidl f loW eX- l tending-.from itsinner end tothe saidconduit` second portiomwsaid ductadapted toV yfpass-aportionror' the lubricantfl'ovv.- Y

' af mechanism for regulating the `pressure in the lubricating-system of an automotive engine, `the combination with an i engine crank case,ro.f a source of .lubricant underpressufra'a .plug 'screw-threaded into a--Walloffrethe crank case and comprising a fcylinderfa' piston lreciprocable: therein, said crankrcase WallA having a lubricantV conduit Y Ithrough la vportion thereof and comprising a' portion, leading vfromV the-saidsource tofa Aface-of the piston,f and a portion leading from a f-l'ateralv Wall of thecylinp der,y said v piston being .spring-pressed `to- Y "Wardlfa-position to restrict iovv of Vfluid underpressure from the said irst portion lto lthe said V:second portion of the 'lubricant conduit," and being responsive to the. `effect of lubricant pressure exerted Vaga-inst its said face 'todecrease 'the restricn tive eect exerted upon such lubricant How,

said Aplug having a duct for luidlow ex-l tend-'ingcfroni itslinnerend to the said conduit second portion, said duct *adapted` t0. by-pass al portion of thel'ubricantflovv, and ineens adjustable from the eXteriorsvo the casing for varying the vresistance Nto iiow througlrthelsaidduct. i Y

5. vIn Va mechanisnr forgregu'lating .the pressure`l in the :lubricating system of an automotive engine, the combination Withan vengine crank case, oli` a source of lubricant, underV pressure, a plug screw-threaded. into 1 anwall of the crank case and comprising a, cylinder,a .piston reciprocable therein, Vsaid crank caserwall having a lubricant conduit through a portion thereof and comprising 11a-.portion leading; fronrthe said/source .to

afaceof'the piston, Vand aportiollv leadingfrom the cylinder V,lateral Wal-l `'at an, interf c mediatel portion thereof,` said piston being' springe-pressed towardl a .position to restrict 'flowv off luidzfunder pressure' romthe Vsaid-Y kfirst portion to the Vesaidsecond portion of the lubricant conduit, and being responsive to the effect of `lubricant pressure exertedl hereunto affix my i 

